This architectural journey starts with the Northern Ireland’s best-known building – Belfast City Hall. It was completed in 1906 and took place of former White Linen Hall, which despite being only 30 years old gave way to new bigger and arguably better building. Its great central location meant that all the important aspects of Belfast life revolved right around the City hall, be it all the important warehouses of booming linen industry, West Belfast factories as well as Lagan, docks and shipyards to the east.
Designed by Sir Alfred Brumwell Thomas in the Baroque revival style, Belfast City Hall dominates Belfast and its skyline. Its towers, dome and other features are reminiscent of the St Paul’s cathedral in London. This excellent civic building with richly decorated interior stands in a stark contrast with severe looking Stormont which is quite devoid of decoration and leans more towards French and Russian style of classical architecture. Brian Boyd studies these two significant civic buildings and their differing styles before moving on to other types of civic buildings such as hospitals, schools as well as houses built under NI Housing Executive (former NI Housing Trust). Some of the locations Brian Boyd visits in this episode include Stormont, Craigavon General Hospital, Collegiate Grammar School in Enniskillen and the University of Ulster in Jordanstown.